Key Highlights:
- Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will start from the back of the grid at the Brazilian Grand Prix following complete power unit changes.
- Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have incurred 10-place grid drops each after the team fitted new internal combustion engines to their cars.
- Red Bull broke Friday night’s curfew to execute the engine swap after Verstappen faced technical issues in the second practice session.
The starting grid for Formula 1’s Brazilian Grand Prix has been thrown into disarray after championship frontrunners Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, and Charles Leclerc were all hit with significant engine-related grid penalties at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace. Following a challenging Friday practice schedule in Sao Paulo, tactical and reliability concerns forced both Ferrari and Red Bull Racing to deploy fresh engine components, triggering a major shuffle for Sunday’s main event.
Red Bull Breaks Curfew as Verstappen and Perez Drop to the Rear
For Max Verstappen, the decision came after a fraught Friday in which he encountered several ‘small issues’ aboard his RB22. These setbacks forced the Dutchman to sit out the final six minutes of the second free practice session. While Red Bull initially chalked up the early stoppage purely to ‘inconsistencies’, the decision raised eyebrows as it cost Verstappen a vital opportunity to conduct a practice start on the uphill Interlagos grid—an area of vulnerability for the Milton Keynes squad this season. Mechanics were spotted working underneath the car immediately after he stepped out.
Red Bull had initially entered the race weekend suggesting an engine change was unnecessary at Interlagos and intended to delay introducing new components for as long as possible. However, the Friday evening assessment quickly reversed that stance. Red Bull personnel broke the team curfew overnight to install a completely new power unit in Verstappen’s car, officially confirming a drop to the back of the grid on Saturday. In parallel, Sergio Perez has also been fitted with a new internal combustion engine, turbocharger, and MGU-K, resulting in a similar penalty that will see him start alongside Verstappen from the tail end of the field.
Ferrari Takes 10-Place Drops for Hamilton and Leclerc
Scuderia Ferrari opted for planned interventions rather than full power unit replacements, deciding to install a fresh internal combustion engine on the SF-26 machinery of both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. The strategic change will cost both drivers a 10-place grid drop for the race, compounding an already difficult weekend at Interlagos.
Ferrari endured a troubled start to proceedings, with Leclerc describing Friday as one of the most difficult of the entire season after missing out on FP1. Team principal Frederic Vasseur acknowledged the uphill battle confronting the Maranello-based squad as they grapple with track surface conditions.
“We know that we have a lot to do on the balance,”
Vasseur said. “The balance was not good. I think the tarmac is the opposite of one week ago. It’s creating a lot of work to do.
“The drivers were not happy. Charles didn’t do FP1 this morning. We had a couple of issues today and I think a lot of work to prepare tomorrow. The weather forecast for tomorrow and Sunday is so-so, so I think that we have to be prepared for all the conditions. But I’m not less optimistic than last week.”
Why This Matters
Grid penalties for the sport’s leading drivers fundamentally reset the competitive landscape of the Brazilian Grand Prix. However, the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace is historically celebrated for providing ample overtaking opportunities, with both Verstappen and Hamilton previously pulling off legendary recovery drives in Sao Paulo. Verstappen memorably advanced from 17th to victory in wet conditions in 2024, came through the field in the rain in 2016, and mounted a drive from the pitlane to the podium last year. Similarly, Hamilton executed his famous 2021 comeback, charging from 20th to fifth in the sprint and later overcoming a grid drop to win the Grand Prix from 10th.
With an uncertain, wet weather forecast lingering over Sao Paulo throughout Saturday and Sunday, rain could serve as a major equalizer, enabling the penalized contenders to slice back through the midfield order while testing the pace of teams that avoided penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez starting from the back of the grid?
Both Red Bull drivers incurred penalties sending them to the rear of the grid due to complete power unit overhauls, which exceeded their allocated quotas of engine parts for the season.
What penalties were given to Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc?
Ferrari fitted a new internal combustion engine to both Hamilton’s and Leclerc’s cars, triggering a 10-place grid penalty for each driver rather than a back-of-the-grid start.
Why did Red Bull break the curfew on Friday?
Red Bull worked through the curfew hours on Friday night after technical issues forced Verstappen to end FP2 early, allowing mechanics sufficient time to complete the comprehensive power unit change confirmed on Saturday morning.
